“I Haven’t Seen Anybody Like That” – Gegard Mousasi in Awe of Sparring Partner Roberto Soldic’s Punching Power

Former mixed martial arts world champion Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi has faced a lot of world-class athletes in his storied career. But one name stands out as the hardest hitter for him – new ONE Championship star Roberto “Robocop” Soldic. 

The Dutch martial artist has 60 professional MMA fights to his name in a career that has spanned over two decades. He’s fought for numerous organizations around the globe, and won titles in almost every promotion he has competed in. 

This has earned him a reputation amongst his peers as one of the toughest and most durable fighters in the sport. 

The hard-hitter Roberto Soldic

Mousasi has only one knockout loss to his name – from MMA legend Uriah Hall – but it’s someone completely different that he sees as the most dangerous fighter he has ever met.

“The biggest puncher, I will give it to Roberto Soldic. He was the double champion in KSW. And now he’s fighting in ONE Championship,” Mousasi told talkSPORT. “He went slow with me. But when he hits you, you feel the punch. He’s a naturally gifted heavy puncher. I haven’t seen anybody like that.”

Read more: “I Didn’t Show My Skills” – Roberto Soldic Eager to Redeem Himself After Disappointing Debut

Soldic is one of the top MMA fighters in Europe, having claimed both the welterweight and middleweight titles in Polish promotion KSW before his move to ONE Championship. 

The toughest fighter to spar with

“Robocop” credits Mousasi for helping him improve his striking while they trained together in Holland. The two men haven’t faced each other in competition, but “The Dreamcatcher” certainly felt the power of Soldic when they sparred. 

“Even if he doesn’t try to hurt you, he hurts you,” Mousasi said.

Soldic was arguably the hottest free agent in MMA last year, and he made headlines when he chose to sign with ONE. He has made it clear that he has lofty goals of claiming World Titles in multiple sports within the Singapore–based outfit, which showcases MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling across its events. 

Things haven’t got off on the right track inside the Circle for the 28-year-old, however. 

An unintentional low blow from Murad Ramazanov yielded a disappointing no contest ruling in his debut last December. Then, at ONE Fight Night 10 earlier this month, he went down to a shocking second-round knockout to former welterweight king Zebaztian Kadestam.

Read more: “Still a Fan” – Roberto Soldic Takes Inspiration and Advice From Croatian MMA Legend Cro Cop

Times may be tough for Soldic, but with high praise from people like MMA veteran Mousasi, the Croatian star shouldn’t be ruled out of becoming a global superstar just yet.